What qualifications are required for legal counsel jobs?

This article looks at legal jobs in the UK and what qualifications are required for them.

What are legal counsel jobs?

What are legal counsel jobs? "Legal counsel" is a term often used in the USA and simply means 'a lawyer'. Usage of the term in the UK has increased over recent years as more and more firms adopt a more American structure in terms of creating in-house counsel jobs for lawyers. Legal jobs in London which are described under the brackets of legal counsel jobs or general counsel jobs are becoming more and more common. However, essentially the qualifications for them remain the same. For ease of understanding, we can equate legal counsel to barristers and solicitors in England. The impact for legal recruiters Legal recruitment agencies still use traditional terminology and this more modern terminology to describe the work they have to offer lawyers. Recruitment firms are used to having to deal with workers from many jurisdictions with many different languages. However, remember to ask questions if you are not sure what the advertisements are asking for.

What qualifications are necessary?

Qualifying in England and Wales If you are intending to qualify in the UK, then you must assess whether you wish to be a barrister or a solicitor because the qualifications for the two are very different at the professional stage. You must first undertake a first degree which can either be a qualifying law degree (one which includes all the subjects required by the Bar Council and the Law Society) or you can take a non-law degree. Non-law degree If you take a non-law degree, such as history or English, then you will be required to undertake the one-year law conversion course so that you are aware of all the basic topics needed as a lawyer. At this point, you may also move on to a master's degree (usually an LLM if you are specialising in law) or a PhD degree (where you do your own research into a legal topic of your choice). Training courses After you university or conversion course education, you must undertake either a Bar Professional Training Course (if you want to be a barrister) or a Law Practice Course (if you wish to be a solicitor). Both of these courses can cost a lot of money. Following this, you must apply for a pupillage (one year vocational training) if you want to become a barrister or a two-year training contract at a law firm if you want to be a solicitor. These qualifications will bring you to the standard of usual 'legal counsel' jobs in the UK.